Something Personal
by MsTwilightObsessed
Summary: When something happens to Cassie Manning, Nick's girlfriend and a fellow CSI, the entire lab is turned upside down. Will they be able to pull through and catch the suspect before anything worse happens? Posted by a demand from my friend. Enjoy!
1. Strange Goodbye

_**A/N:**__ Okay, this story is up by a friend's demand. Please review and tell me if its good or bad, I sort of started this last summer with a dream I had after going through CSI withdrawal (yes, too little CSI can be a bad thing). Ishy Fishy, here you go!_

Chapter 1: Strange Goodbye

"Okay, Nick, I'm gonna head home, I'll see you in the morning." A very pregnant Cassie said as leaned in to kiss Nick goodbye. She was wearing a pair of maternity jeans and her black CSI shirt that she had borrowed from Nick, seeing as how her's didn't fit due to her belly.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Nick asked as he pulled away from the kiss.

"Nickie, baby, I'm not due for another month, I'll be fine; I may have to fend for myself to deal with the cravings, but I'll be fine." She replied smiling sweetly, "Just help me up here." She had been over to her fiancé, Nick's, apartment to watch a movie, and try to think of some names. She liked Holly Nicole if it was a girl, and he liked Elizabeth Grace. If it was a boy, he liked Jacob Lee and she liked James Nicholas. Who knows what'll happen; they at least had it narrowed down to four. Nick got up from the couch and extended his hand for her to take, which she did, and he pulled her up from the couch. They kissed once more, and Nick looked at his bride-to-be. Nowadays, she seemed to always smile and she constantly had that 'mother's glow' about her, which made her even more beautiful than ever.

"I love you, baby. See ya tomorrow," she said as she walked out of Nick's front door.

"Love you too, honey. See ya later." He said as he kissed her once more, and then watched her, with her large stomach make her way into her truck and wave goodbye to him.

"Wait," Nick called to her, running over to her as she started the truck. He had this weird feeling, like she was leaving him forever, even though he'd see her tomorrow at work. He stopped at her window and brushed a piece of stray hair out of her face.

"You know I love you, right baby, and I always will."

"Yeah, Nick, I know," she replied, "I love you too," She said, a little worried.

"I can't wait till the baby's born." He said, and Cassie smiled; she was amazed he had been so accepting of the baby, since it was a product of rape and all.

"Me neither. And then we can get hitched!" She said flaunting a smile and the diamond ring on her right-hand ring finger he had proposed to her with.

Nick let out a small laugh, "Can't wait till that either."

"You'd better let me get home to sleep, or you won't see me outta bed tomorrow." Cassie said glancing at the clock on the radio; it was already almost ten and she liked to be asleep by ten-thirty.

"Okay, baby, I'll see you tomorrow." He said, still not moving away from the car.

"One more kiss goodbye." She replied as they kissed once more. "Bye, Nickie." She said as she shifted gears to pull out.

"Bye Cass." He replied as he backed away from the car, and stood in the driveway until she was out of sight. Walking through the house and tidying up some things, Nick made his way to his bedroom, where he changed out of his t-shirt and jeans into a pair of boxers and slid into bed. Finally, after channel surfing, and finding nothing on TV, he reluctantly decided he needed the extra hour or so of sleep, and went to turn out the lamp. Before the light cut off, he looked at his favorite picture in a picture frame on the nightstand beside his bed. The picture was of him and Cassie when he had gone to speak at a seminar, and after some begging, Grissom had allowed her to come along. Lucky for them, the seminar was at the University of Hawaii; so they had about a weeks' paid vacation in Hawaii. In the picture, he and Cassie were sitting on a beach, she was in a dark pink halter top and a pair of shorts, and he was in his trunks and a "CSI" shirt. He had no idea why he liked it so much, it was just one of the many pictures he'd brought back, but Cassie looked so beautiful in it. The warm sunlight was hitting her waist-length, straight hair just right, letting the honey highlights shine along with the light, gold eye shadow she was wearing, and her smile…she was smiling that smile that she only smiled when she was on top of cloud nine, that smile, that when it was on her lips, would melt Nick's heart. That smile was the same smile that had been across her lips, practically for the entire seven months she had known she was pregnant. That must be why he loved that picture so much; it showed how much she loved him. He flipped off the lamp beside his bed, rolled over and went to sleep.

Cassie pulled through the apartment parking lot to a parking spot in the locked parking garage. Pulling the keys out of the ignition, she looped her purse strap over her shoulder and pushed herself out of the car. With the size of her eight-month, a day short of an eight-month and a half stomach, getting in and out of her truck was getting harder and harder, and she found as her stomach got bigger, the smaller the space between it and the steering wheel got. After crawling out of the truck and shutting the door, she locked the truck and headed for the staircase and to her warm bed in her apartment. Her doctor said she could walk the stairs if she felt like it, until her ninth month, then she'd have to take the elevator. She finally reached the top of the stained concrete stairs and was unlocking her apartment door. Throwing the door open, Cassie walked in and put her coat on the hook, right inside the door after she'd shut it and dumped her purse on the kitchen counter. She was almost to her bedroom and the warmth of a much needed bath when the doorbell rang. 'Who would come at this hour without calling?' She thought as she made her way back to the door.

"May I help you?" Cassie asked as she opened the door to a man dressed in all black with sandy colored hair and vibrant blue eyes she had seen before. Looking around the hallway past him, she saw a woman walking out of her apartment who was watching them.

"Just as beautiful as I left you." The man said, looking her over from head to toe.

"Excuse me?" She asked him; this was getting way too weird, too bad her gun was in her bedroom.

"I've just come to finish my job, Cassandra." As the man said this, he grabbed her wrists with one hand and cupped his other hand over her mouth with a greater force than was needed. Cassie struggled and tried to pry free. She tried everything as he dragged her to her living room – stomping, kicking, even biting – but he was still able to hold her strong.

"Sit or I shoot." He said, releasing her, or more like throwing her, and pulling a black gun from his black trench coat's pocket. Not wanting to put her life or her baby's at jeopardy, she obeyed, and turned to sit on the couch. "No." He said harshly, "Sit on the floor." Again, unwillingly, she obeyed and sat on the floor. The man walked over to her, gun in one latex-gloved hand, a roll of duct tape in the other.

"Please," Cassie begged, tears pouring down her face in fear, "Please, don't hurt my baby."

_**AN: **__I hope y'all enjoyed. I love reviews!! _


	2. Tragedy Strikes

_**A/N:**__ Hello again! I'll make this short and sweet so y'all can get onto the story. Thanks for all of the awesome reviews I'm getting. Y'all are awesome! I'll try to reply to them, but I'm just one person! Anyway, enjoy the new chapter and don't forget to review! _

_**Disclaimer:**__ (I always seem to forget these!) All of the characters except for Brianna, Cassie, and the 'bad guy' belong to CBS, the wonderful creator of the beloved CSI._

Chapter 2: Tragedy Strikes

Brianna Miller was walking out of her apartment to meet her boyfriend in the lobby for a date when she saw a hot guy knock on the apartment two doors down. She sort of knew the young woman who lived in that apartment and she knew that guy was not the young woman's boyfriend. The young woman, she believed her name was Cassie, had a boyfriend who came around quite often and was just over yesterday, and when they had said goodbye, they were all lovey-dovey, so this guy couldn't be her boyfriend. Lover maybe? No, this girl wasn't that type. Brother? Could be. After a minuet, Cassie came to the door, very pregnant, and still in her day clothes, 'Probably just got back from her boyfriends'," Brianna thought.

"Excuse me?" Cassie asked, looking very mad. Okay, not brother. Then Brianna gasped.

The man grabbed Cassie and dragged her into the apartment and shut the door. That's when she knew Cassie didn't know this man. 'Should I call the police?' She thought as she listened intently for screams, or any voices.

"Please. Please, don't hurt my baby." She heard Cassie scream, terrified.

'Okay, police time.' Brianna thought as she retrieved her cell phone and dialed 911.

♥

"As I told you," The man said into Cassie's ear, with a knife to her neck, "I'm just finishing business."

All she could do was cry, and know she was going to die, 'Dear God, I'll see you in a minuet, but just let me tell Nickie bye, please. Please.' She prayed silently. Her hands were duct taped behind her back, her ankles were duct taped together, and her mouth was duct taped closed.

"I'm surprised you don't remember me," the man went on to say, "Women always say it's hard to forget a rapist."

Cassie's crying ceased and she froze. That's why those eyes looked so familiar, when he raped her, he had on a black ski mask that covered everything except his eyes. He was now pressing hard on the knife which was starting to break her skin, but not enough to kill her. Yet.

♥

Brianna had just dialed 911 and trying to decide if he really wasn't just playing around with her, before she pressed the call button. Her ears were now straining so hard she heard every sound, every creak, crack, and step that happened on that hallway.

"Women always say it's hard to forget a rapist." She heard the man say, and she gasped, but still didn't dial the phone. She couldn't. She was frozen. A rapist. In her apartment complex. Coming to finish the job. All she could do was stand there, phone in hand, frozen.

♥

"It'll be a shame to loose something as pretty as you," he said, the knife cutting more and more into her skin, "The world will have to deal with it though."

In one quick motion, he ripped the duct tape off of her mouth and slit her throat, not enough to kill her immediately, but enough for her to bleed out in about five minuets. He bolted out the door and ran down the stairs and out into the cold January night.

Brianna, as soon as he ran out had been pretending to lock her door, but pushed the 'call' button quick.

"Hello, police?" She asked as she heard a 'hello' on the next line. She was now running into the open door to Cassie's apartment to see what had happened. She bolted down the hallway and into the living room when she saw her laying there.

"OH MY GOD!!!!" She screamed into the phone, "HER THROAT'S SLIT!!! OH MY GOD!!! SHE'S AT SUNNY ISLE APARTMENTS NO. 409!!!! GET SOMEBODY OVER HERE NOW!!!" She was trying her best to stop the bleeding, but somehow was getting nowhere. "SHE'S DYING!!! AND SHE'S EIGHT OR NINE MONTH'S PREGNANT!!! SHE'S NOT GONNA MAKE IT, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN SAVE HER BABY!!!" Brianna screamed again, now bawling into the phone.

"Okay, ma'am, stay calm. Sunny Isle Apartments, No. 409 right?"

"YES!" She still screamed, still trying to stop the constant flow of blood from the young woman's neck.

"We've got somebody on the way." The lady on the other line said as Brianna said okay, bye, and hung up.

"Save my baby," Cassie choked out, blood going all over the white carpet, "Tell Nickie, I…I…I…love…"

Brianna was holding Cassie's head in her arms, they both were covered in her blood, when Cassie let out her last breath and her body totally relaxed.

♥

"Nickie, baby," Nick heard Cassie's voice off in a distance, and he came to. He must be dreaming, he was lying in his bed, and a not pregnant Cassie was sitting on the floor, legs tucked under her, lightly stroking his forearm.

"Hey," he replied, thinking this must be one vivid dream.

"Hi, honey." His dream was now clear enough to see her clearly. Indeed, she wasn't pregnant, so it was a dream. She was wearing a silk, floor length white dress, with a gold rope that crossed at her bosom and ran along her bust line. Her hair looked like it had more gold than normal and was curled, like he liked it, and floating above her head sat a halo, slightly tilted to the right, to where it hung slightly crooked. He noticed she had angel-like white feather wings attached to the back of her dress, and only a little bit of make up.

"I need you to do something for me, Nickie," She said, crying, but her make up didn't run.

"What's wrong, honey?" He asked as he put a comforting hand on the hand that wasn't on his arm, after he wiped away a tear from her face.

"Nothing," she replied, "I just need you to do something for me."

"Anything for you." He said warmly, to try and calm her down.

"Take care of my baby for me, please, she's gonna make it. Please, just promise you'll take good care of her, and raise her right." Cassie said, tears flowing down her cheeks. Now there was no doubt about it. He was having one crazy dream.

"Sweetheart, you're talking crazy, we're both going to raise this baby…"

"Nick, promise me." She said staring him straight in the eye, cutting him off.

"Okay, I promise." He said staring at her right back.

"Thank you, Nickie baby, I love you more than you'll ever know." She said as she kissed him one last time.

"Cassie, you're bleeding." He said, noticing a small drop of blood on her neck, and a line starting to appear.

"I've gotta go Nickie. I love you." She said as she covered the spot with one of her hands as she stood up.

"I love you too, honey, but where are you going?" He asked, noticing she was rising up into the air, little by little, her bare feet getting further away from the floor, while a bright, yellow, light surrounded her.

"Home, Nickie, Home."

Nick woke with a start and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 11:00. Turning back over in his bed, he fell back asleep.

♥

'Ring, ring, ring,' Sara brought her hands up to her face to try to drown out the noise. She was due in two weeks now, and she loved what little sleep she got.

"Grissom… Hi Brass, why didn't you call the night crew?" She heard her husband answer.

"Gil, you'll probably want the whole team on this one. I didn't think you'd want night crew heading it, and the sheriff agreed when he saw…" Jim Brass had to wipe away a tear from his eye, normally the bodies don't do this to him, but this was no ordinary body. It was Cassie. She was so sweet and full of life, she'd been like a daughter to him. She made him feel loved, respected, in a fatherly way, the way his daughter never made him feel these days. When he was hurt, she was the first at the hospital, even if it was only something minor. When he, or anyone else on the team, was sick, she'd be over taking care of them, especially if they lived alone like he did. He'd never be able to forget that day, eight months ago, that she came to him in tears telling him she'd been raped. He wanted to catch that bastard more than anyone else, and had worked hard at it, even though there was too little evidence, and they had gotten no where. Whoever did this to her was going to pay. Brass snapped back to his conversation.

"Brass," Grissom said, sensing the hurt, "What happened?"

"Cassie dead, Gil. Murdered." Brass finally said those words so plainly, with so much anger towards the culprit.

"Okay, I'll call up everybody and we'll be there quick. What about the baby?" Grissom asked.

Brass hated how the CSI supervisor could be this calm. "They did an emergency c-section and put a small, baby girl, into an incubator. She's fine, except for the fact she was born a month early. Luckily, the woman called the police when she witnessed the murder." Brass said, tears threatening to fall again.

"Okay, I'll see you in thirty minuets." Gil said as he hung up the phone.

"Sara, babe, I've gotta go into work." He said, crawling out of bed to get dressed.

"Why can't the night crew handle it?" She asked as she groaned and rolled onto her side.

"Cassie's been murdered."

Sara almost stopped breathing for a second. Ever since they had known they were pregnant, she and Cassie have been best friends, they did everything together; baby shopping, work, both couples even went out a few times together to do things.

"Okay, I'm coming." She said crawling out of bed.

"No, Sara, you can't. You're already on maternity leave." He said pulling on a pair of pants and a shirt, then his CSI jacket.

"You won't talk me out of this, Gil." She said pulling on a pair of maternity jeans and one of Gil's CSI work shirts that the office gave them; her's, of course, didn't fit. Gil sighed; he loved her, but sometimes she was so hard headed.

"Okay," he replied, "You can see the crime scene, and gather MINIMAL evidence, and when we get back to the lab, you're in a roller chair."

"Gil, I know. I won't put me in any danger." Sara replied going over and hugging him; he was always so protective of her.

"Okay, let's hit the road. You call Greg, and I'll call Nick. Whoever hangs up first calls Warrick. Catherine's out of town so don't try and call her in." He said as he tossed Sara her phone off the dresser, and grabbed his, and they headed out of their house to the car.

"Greg," Sara said, crawling into the passenger seat of Grissom's black Tahoe, "Grissom wants you at the office now. We're arriving at the crime scene 30 minuets from now. Hurry!"

"What's the rush, can't night crew handle it?" Greg asked, apparently she'd woken him up from a good sleep. She couldn't blame him, at almost midnight; she'd normally be asleep too.

"Greg, no. This scene's special." She decided for everyone else to find out it was Cassie at the scene, and not be worked up before they got there.

"Okay, fine. I'll be at the office in ten minuets. Bye" Greg said as Sara heard the noises in the background of him getting out of bed.

"Bye." She replied as she hung up her phone, and seeing that Gil was still on the phone, started dialing Warrick's number.

♥

After crawling into his Tahoe, Grissom looked over at Sara, who was on the phone with Greg, and started the SUV. As soon as he had pulled out of the driveway and was driving though the neighborhood, he grabbed his cell phone from the cup holder closest to him and started dialing Nick's number. He and Sara had agreed that it would be best not to tell everyone it was Cassie's crime scene till they got there.

"Hello," a very tired Nick answered the phone.

"It's Grissom. You need to come into the office now. We're leaving the CSI headquarters as soon as everyone gets there, and I told Brass we'd hurry. I want you at headquarters in fifteen minuets tops." He said in his not bossy, but commanding tone of voice.

"What's the rush Grissom?" He asked, apparently rolling out of his bed.

"Just be there in fifteen minuets." Grissom answered as he hung up the phone and placed it back in the cup holder, realizing Sara was calling Warrick.

"Warrick, it's Sara." She said after Warrick had answered the phone with a sleepy hello.

"We need you at headquarters in fifteen minuets tops." She said quickly.

"Why?" Warrick asked, still very sleepily; why did everyone ask her that question, first Greg, now Warrick.

Sara sighed, "Just be there ready to work." She said as Warrick replied, "Okay, bye."

"Bye." Sara replied as she flipped her phone closed and put it in her purse.

"I can't believe it," Sara said as she put her phone back in her purse, "I just can't believe she's dead. Oh my God! What happened to her baby?" Sara asked just realizing how pregnant she'd been.

"Her baby's okay. The witness, when she dialed the police, said the woman was pregnant, so they brought a doctor prepared to do an emergency c-section. Even though she was dead, she gave birth to a fairly healthy baby girl, who's now in the hospital." Grissom said, as they pulled into the CSI headquarters.

"Poor Nick," Sara replied, "He's lost his fiancé and doesn't even know it. Thank God that little baby made it, or he'd be an even worse wreck than he's already gonna be."

Opening up their door simultaneously, Sara and Grissom headed into the office, where they realized Greg and Warrick were right behind them.

"Why are we being called in even though we're on day shift?" Greg asked as they were all four putting their things away in the locker room.

Grissom decided he'd better tell at least them now, "You guys can't tell Nick, but," he paused, wondering if word would get out, "Cassie's been killed." At first, Grissom didn't think they understood because the two were so frozen.

"What?" They asked, not wanting to believe what they were hearing.

Grissom just continued putting his things away as he answered, "Yes, killed in her apartment, Brass just called. He seemed a little shaken up, so I want to get there quickly."

Warrick and Greg looked at each other; they knew why Brass was so shaken up, Cassie was the life of the whole team. When everything seemed to be going wrong and everyone, even Greg, who was one of the most constantly optimistic people around, were starting to lose hope, she would always be looking at the positive, bringing up the fact that they were one of the top CSI teams in the country. She was happy doing her job, which she did very well, even though she was only a year or so out of college. How could she be gone?

"Why can't we tell Nick?" Warrick asked, realizing Cassie was Nick's life and soon, that baby would be too; oh God, the baby. "What happened to the baby?" Warrick asked quickly, worried that if Nick lost his fiancé he loved dearly along with this baby they were going to have, he'd go suicidal.

"The baby's fine, they did an emergency c-section and she's going to make it. But as for Nick, I'll tell him when the time is right." Grissom said, only minuets before Nick came in the door.

"Okay, can somebody tell me why we're going to this crime scene? Sara? What are you doing here?" Nick asked, surprised seeing her at a locker.

"I was just getting antsy at home and decided to tag along." She lied, knowing not to say anything more.

"Okay, let's load up. Warrick you go with Greg; Nick you're coming with us." Grissom said, grabbing an evidence kit and walking out the door while everyone followed.

"I'll take the backseat." Sara said opening one of the back doors of the CSI Tahoe.

"No, you sit in the front." Nick said opening up the black door for her.

"No, really, it's easier for me to sit in the backseat. More room for my stomach." Sara said with a semi-forced smile, she was still distraught, but the news still hadn't sunk in.

"Okay," Nick said as he shrugged. Sara went around him and crawled into the back seat.

"Wait, where's Cassie?" Nick asked, but no one answered.

"Let's get to the crime scene. We only have ten minuets." Grissom said starting up the Tahoe, and then pulling out of the CSI headquarters' parking lot.

♥

They sat in silence for most of the ride, when Nick started to realize this path they were taking seemed too familiar. It wasn't until they got to the apartment complex, when Nick started getting scared, but he didn't ask questions. The five of them piled into an elevator and Grissom pressed the button for the fourth floor, and Nick got even more scared. They walked out of the elevator and turned left, and when they could see down the hallway, where people were gathered, and crime scene tape was up, Nick started running.

He tore through the crowd of people, as fast as he could into her apartment, forgetting crime scene protocol. He ran through the hallway and turned into the living room and dropped to his knees, beside his fiancé, tears pouring down his cheeks. The love of his live was sprawled on her living room floor, covered in blood, all the life out of her.

Brass, who was standing in the living room trying his best to hold back the tears, started to cry when he saw Nick tear through the room and then drop to his knees. Making his way across the room, he walked over to Nick and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, because neither could speak a word. The rest of the team walked into the living room and gathered around the body. Grissom stayed strong in order to comfort Sara, who was crying silently, other than little gasps for breath, due to the shock of the crime. Even Warrick and Greg let a few tears slide down their cheeks, but the lack of sound in the room was too eerie. Nick finally gathered himself somewhat, but was still crying, when he noticed her shirt had been torn open, revealing a cut to her abdomen that was deep and not stitched up, and her stomach had reduced in size. He stood up next to Brass, and saw that everyone, even Grissom, who'd let one tear slip, was crying.

_**A/N:**__ Now, you know you want to review and tell me how I did, right?? Hope you enjoyed!_

_Ms Twilight Obsessed_


	3. A Miracle

_**A/N:**__ Yes, I know I haven't updated in forever and a day, but I had my dance recital last weekend, and I got sick! Bear with me! I'll try and update soon! Thanks for the reviews people! I 3 y'all, but don't forget to tell me how I'm doing. _

_Tata for now; on with the reading!_

_Ms Twilight Obsessed_

_**Disclaimer:**__ CBS owns all CSI (except for Cassie and her daughter)_

Chapter 3: A Miracle

Sara walked over to him and wrapped him in a hug and started crying harder, "I'm so sorry Nick." She said through the sobs, while Nick could only nod in reply, still at a loss for words. When Sara finally let go, Warrick was next in line. His hug was more a comforting than Sara's, but just by a little. Greg and Grissom just gave him looks that let him know they, along with everyone else, were worried about him.

"Greg, snapshots. Warrick, Sara, collect evidence. Nick," Grissom paused, looking him in the eye and laying a hand on his shoulder, "Go to the hospital."

"I'll take him." Brass volunteered as Nick gave them both a confused look.

"Why do I need to go to the hospital?" He asked.

"To see your baby girl." Grissom replied slightly smiling, which was hard at a time like this. Nick broke out into a huge smile, he didn't have anything to do with the baby coming to be, but he might have well. He was there to comfort Cassie and he would be there and was looking forward to being a caring, loving father. He and Brass walked out of the apartment and into the elevator and to the parking lot to Brass's Taurus. Brass climbed into the driver's seat, keys in hand, while Nick climbed into the passenger side next to him, now his excitement getting the best of him.

♥

Nick sat in the hospital nursery, holding his beautiful, baby girl, who was barely bigger than his hand, just a mere 5 pounds, nine ounces, who looked just like her mom. Brass was standing next to him, remembering the day his own daughter was born.

"Excuse me," the nurse said to Nick, "Are you the father?" Nick nodded his head. "You will need to fill out the birth certificate." She said placing a piece of paper and a pen next to him, and then leaving the preemie nursery.

"Jim," Nick said to Brass, who was slightly taken aback; Nick never called him Jim, that was Cassie's outside of work name she called him. "A couple weeks ago, Cassie and I were talking about the baby, and who we wanted his or her, now her, godparents to be." Nick paused and looked at the little girl in his arms, "She told me she thought of you like her 'Vegas Dad' and we agreed," Nick paused again, "We want you to be her godfather."

Jim started to cry again, but this time out of happiness; he was so honored. "Thank you, Nick, so much. You have no idea how much of an honor this is to me. Are you sure?" Brass asked.

"It's one last wish I can carry out for her. We went over the 'godparent thing' time and time again and she was determined to make you the godfather." Nick replied as he glanced at the sheet lying on the floor. "Could you hold her while I fill this out?" He asked gesturing to the sheet. Brass, tears steadily flowing, nodded and took the baby and the chair from Nick as he stood.

"What's her name?" He asked, realizing Nick hadn't given her a name yet. Tears started to flow from Nick's eyes again as he thought about just hours ago on the couch in his house.

"You know," He told Brass, "She was over at my place tonight, only two or three and a half hours ago."

Brass thought about what the woman said the time was when she called the police. Cassie must have been killed as soon as she had gotten back from Nick's.

"We were talking about names and we still couldn't decide on one name for each gender. She liked Holly Nicole, but I'm going to name her Holly Cassandra, after a wonderful woman." Nick said, tears pouring down his face, but he was smiling, it was definitely a bitter-sweet moment. Nick had to ask the nurse what to do about the mother's name, but in about ten minuets, the sheet was completed. Nick had found a chair and was sitting next to Brass while he was holding the baby when Nick got a sudden, strange look on his face, like he was just realizing something when he spoke.

"Jim, do you believe in angels in dreams?" He asked, while Brass looked at him confused, while rocking back and forth in the rocking chair.

"I don't know what you mean." Brass answered.

"I can tell you the time Cassie died right now. She died a few minuets before 11:00 pm." Brass looked at him in disbelief. The woman had said she was holding Cassie when she died a couple minuets before eleven.

"How did you know?" Brass asked startled.

"I thought I was asleep, but it must have been real. Cassie was an angel when she was sitting next to my bed. She was wearing a white dress with a halo and wings and everything, but she wasn't pregnant. She asked me if I'd take care of her baby. She said the baby was gonna make it, then when I told her she was being silly, that we were going to raise the baby, she stopped me and made me promise I'd raise the baby right. Then she told me she loved me more than I'll ever know. A drop of blood was on her neck and then a faint red line appeared about five inches long. She covered the spot with her hand and said she had to go. When I asked her where she was going, she just said, 'home, Nickie, home,' and she rose up into the air and disappeared. It wasn't a dream. I was awake; she came to me, after she was dead, before she went to heaven. She wanted to tell me goodbye, forever." Nick erupted into all new tears, and Brass stared at him in disbelief. He had heard of this before, family or loved ones claiming they saw the dead's angel, a few minuets after they'd died, but he never believed it, until now.

"I'm very sorry gentlemen, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave." A nurse said as she popped her head into the nursery room. "You can come see her first thing in the morning though." The nurse replied, with a warm smile on her face. "Go home, Nickie." Brass said as he handed Holly back to him. "No, Jim, I've got to go to the lab and help out. I'm supposed to be at work." Nick replied, then looked at the tiny baby girl he was holding, "Bye, Holly. Daddy'll be back in the morning to see you, sleep tight." Handing her back to the nurse, Nick stood up, and he and Brass made their way to the Taurus. In the parking lot, Nick suddenly stopped walking, and froze. In all the chaos, he'd forgotten that Cassie had everything for the baby set up at her house, and he didn't even have a baby room together yet. "Nick?" Brass asked, also stopping. "I'm not ready to take Holly home. I don't have a room set up; Cassie had all the things at her house, but we had only bought the bare minimal because we didn't know the gender. Holly doesn't have any clothes, or a car seat. I've gotta go shopping." Nick replied, now freaking out because Holly had come so early; nothing was ready. "I know exactly what to do." Brass said as they began walking again.

After about ten minuets they reached the lab, where everyone was hard at work, and the mood was solemn. While Nick went to go see what everyone was up to and how he could help, Brass turned into Grissom's office. "Hey, Gil." "Yes, Jim." Gil replied, hard at work on something. "Nick said that he and Cassie had barely done any shopping for the baby." Brass said, watching from over Grissom's shoulder, "I was thinking, since Sara really shouldn't be working, could she take off with Nick and get some shopping done so Holly can come home?" "I don't see why not," Grissom answered, not looking up from what he was doing, "What did you say Nick named the baby?" "Holly Cassandra Stokes." Brass said. "Good name. As pretty as her mother's." Grissom replied as Brass walked out of the office.


End file.
